15. Chemical Kinetics
Reaction Mechanism
44PRACTICE PROBLEM
The concentration-time data for the reaction of hypochlorite ion (ClO−) and bromide ion (Br−) are given in the table below. The products are hypobromite ion (BrO−) and chloride ion (Cl−).
![](https://lightcat-files.s3.amazonaws.com/problem_images/77153b0847db368b-1673017841561.jpg)
The following mechanism is proposed for this reaction:
ClO−(aq) + H2O(l) ⇌ HOCl(aq) + OH−(aq) Faster, reversible
HOCl(aq) + Br−(aq) → HOBr(aq) + Cl−(aq) Slow, rate-determining
HOBr(aq) + OH−(aq) → H2O(l) + BrO−(aq) Fast
Is the proposed mechanism consistent with the rate law? Express the rate constant in terms of the rate constants for the elementary steps in the proposed mechanism.
The concentration-time data for the reaction of hypochlorite ion (ClO−) and bromide ion (Br−) are given in the table below. The products are hypobromite ion (BrO−) and chloride ion (Cl−).
The following mechanism is proposed for this reaction:
ClO−(aq) + H2O(l) ⇌ HOCl(aq) + OH−(aq) Faster, reversible
HOCl(aq) + Br−(aq) → HOBr(aq) + Cl−(aq) Slow, rate-determining
HOBr(aq) + OH−(aq) → H2O(l) + BrO−(aq) Fast
Is the proposed mechanism consistent with the rate law? Express the rate constant in terms of the rate constants for the elementary steps in the proposed mechanism.